The Inefficiency of C++, Fact or Fiction?

A widespread "truth" among developers of embedded software is that using C++ results in inferior code size and speed compared with using C.

This article will attempt to sort out the facts from the fiction in this statement. By better understanding the underlying mechanisms of the language, a designer can avoid code bloat.

This article will also discuss various C++ language features, compare them with C, describe their implications for the ARM code generation, and look at the efficiency of the different ARM architectures.

I used to have a booklet which espoused the superiority of machine language over assembly. The theory was that a 'real' programmer could control his code better if he had memorized the op codes rather than relying on a fancy assembler to do the translation. I kept that booklet around for a long time as a reminder of how silly ideas can become over time.
High-level programming languages generally do not create code that is as good as that generated by the best programmers. They are much more available, though, since the best programmers tend to be rather busy. Mediocre programmers can generate mediocre code much more efficiently using them, though. :-)
Larry M.